Defenders: ‘It depends what happens Monday’
The court hearing in Missoula next Monday before U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy, on a possible injunction to block the impending first-ever wolf hunts in Idaho and Montana this fall, is following rather swiftly after the 13 groups that earlier sued in federal court over wolf delisting filed for an injunction last Thursday. "So it was a very expedited hearing schedule, which was really appreciated," said Suzanne Stone of Defenders of Wildlife. With more than 4,000 wolf hunting tags sold today in Idaho, Stone said, "As far as what it means, it really depends on what happens on Monday." Stone said she views the issues before the judge as "almost identical" to those in 2008, when Molloy blocked the wolf hunt. "It's still the same plan," she said, though Wyoming no longer is a part of it. "It's kind of like deja vu all over again."